All about Sports!

Category: Careers

Football is a huge sport, but in the South it’s a way of life. Most boys have played football at one point in there life, whether it was when they were 6 or 16. High school football is a big deal but college football is so huge, it’s ridiculous.

College football has gotten so ridiculous and out of control that more value is placed on if your team is going to win the big one than on the students’ education.

I recently heard that college football coaches, the ones that coach the big schools, like University of Texas and Oklahoma University, have salaries as high as 3 million dollars. Isn’t ironic that people go to college to get an education so that they can get a good job and have a good life, yet the college professors don’t make nearly as much as the head football coach.

Also tuition for those colleges are extremely expensive. You spend four years in a university like that and you end up spending probably less than some people will spend on their first house. This absolutely outrageous!

College tuition is higher than it has ever been. A lot of people cannot even afford to go to college in the first place, and as cost rises, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to receive a good education.

It is unfair that people who can throw a ball get a free ride to college while people who have worked hard all through high school in order to further their education have to struggle and worry about how they are going to be able to pay for college.

When did sports become more important than education? Unless you happen to be one of the lucky few who actually make it to major league, sports are not going to do anything for you when you are out of college.

Sports are important, but not as important as education. College is important and no one should be denied the opportunity because it is too expensive.

While there are other colleges who do not cost as much and community colleges, you cannot get the same kind of education that you can at top universities. Football has been a higher priority than actually learning the things you are going to need when you start a career.

Why is it so expensive to go to college in universities where football is so big? Because they have to pay the coaches, and because they have to pay for the top athletes to come to their university so they can have a winning team.

College is supposed to be about education. It’s supposed to be a place you get to go to after working hard to get good grades in high school. It’s supposed to be a place where you learn what you need to know in order to get a good job, in order to be more than a fast food server.

Southern colleges who are entirely focused on football are robbing people of their education. This should be stopped and more focus should be placed on education.

With salaries and popularity constantly escalating, there has never been a better time to get into the college football coaching profession. For the young and ambitious, here is a road map on how to make it to the pinnacle of college sports:

A Road map for Entering the Profession of College Football Coaching

1. Play Football at the College Level – This is arguably the biggest barrier into the college football coaching profession. Take a glance at the most recent AP poll and you will find the likes of Bob Stoops, Pete Carroll, Mack Brown, Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer. What do they all have in common? They played football in college. For every Mike Leach (who did not play), there are dozens of ex-athletes roaming the sidelines.

2. Get Your College Degree – This may seem like a no-brainer to many, but the balance of school and athletics is a difficult one. Many athletes fall into the trap of letting their academics slide. If you want to pursue coaching at the college level, a degree will be one of the first credentials you will need in your resume.

3. Build Relationships with College Coaches – Being the first one to practice and the last one to leave will do more than make you a better player. It will endear you to the coaches who will one day have the ability to get you into the profession. Never pass up an opportunity to go the extra mile to build relationships with both your coaches and others that you may encounter.

4. Build Relationships with High School Coaches – There are two very important benefits to this piece of the puzzle. The first is that you might need to begin coaching at the high school level. Building relationships with high school coaches will open that door. The second is that those relationships will pay off in recruiting if and when you reach the college coaching level. Talk to them about various stuff like best shoulder pads etc. You never know what clicks.

5. Find a Graduate Assistant/Volunteer Position – This is where your relationship with college coaches will pay off. If you have been identified as a hard worker who picks things up quickly, you will have a great shot at getting on somewhere as a volunteer or graduate assistant. If that doesn’t work,

6. Find a High School Coaching Position – Many of those who pursue college coaching as a profession start in the high school ranks. Building a strong winning resume in the high school ranks will open doors for you at the college level. The bigger and better program you can get into, the better off you will be.

7. Be Active in the Coaching Community – There are a number of opportunities to get involved in the coaching community. Clinics are a great way to meet other coaches as well as build your resume. Camps are another great way to build relationships. Take advantage of each opportunity that presents itself. You never know which one will pay off.

8. Become a Subject Matter Expert – Find your niche in the business. This could be a new and innovative offensive strategy or a specific position that you coach exceedingly well. Whatever your subject matter ends up being, strive to know everything you can about that particular area.

9. Be Proactive, but Patient – Don’t rush into just any job. Each staff has its own personality. In the long run, you will be much better off finding a staff that shares your philosophy and values.